Rotary engine.



W. H..McCRORY.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED M1529. 1940.

1 149 528. Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

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ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, I910- Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

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ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. 1910.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

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ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. 1910.

1,149,528. Patented Aug. 10,1915.

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[NVENTOR fiITI VESSES I LZZ WILLIAM H. McCRORY, OF THREE RIVERS,MICHIGAN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

Application'filed June 29, 1910. Serial No. 569,561.

,St. Joseph, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is aspecificatiotn, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a rotary gas engine and particularly to aconstruction involving a plurality of rotating cylinders cooperatingwith a relatively fixed part to produce a rotation of the cylindersthrough the connection of the pistons therein.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improvedconstruction of means for controlling the valve movement of a series ofrotating pistons and also'transmitting power therefrom to a rotatingmember mounted to be driven thereby.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by theappended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation with the bearing standardin section;

Fig2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a rearelevation with the standard in section; Fig. 4 is a detail section ofone of the cylinders and valve connections therewith; Fig. 5 is a topplan of one cylinder; Fig. 6 is a detaih elevation of the driving camshowing the cylinder connection therewith; Fig. 6 is a similar view ofthe opposite side of this cam; Fig. 7 is an elevation of the camcontrolling the cylinder exhaust;Fig. 8 is a similar view of the camcontrolling the inlet; Fig. 9 is an elevation of the driving cam; andFig. 10 is a detail section of the fuel feed connection for thecylinders.

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.

The numeral 10 designates the base of the engine upon which supportingstandards 11 are mounted and these standards are provided with bearings12 adapted to receive a shaft 13 which may, if desired, be provided witha fly or balance wheel 14 and have a power transmitting pulley 15. Uponthis shaft a wheel or frame 16 is keyed, as shown in Fig. 2, and.provided with a series of cylinders 17 disposed concentric tov the shaft14. These cylinders may be mounted upon the frame in any desired manner,for

instance by means of an extension 18 at one side of the cylinder, andadapted to be secured to the frame by means of bolts '19, while theframeis also provided with a rib or flange 20 adapted to set in a groove 21formed in the extension 18 from the cylinder. The cylinder may beprovided at itsouter end with a head 22 having a chamber 23 with whichthe i-nlet pipe 24 for fuel communicates and also the exhaust pipe 25,This cylinder is also provided with a piston 26 which has at oppositesides guide lugs 27 adapted to travel in ways 28 formed in the cylinderand power is transmitted from said cylinder by means of the rod 29 whichis adapted to cooperate with a relatively fixed part 30 carried by oneof the standards 11, as shown in Fig. 2.

The part 30 is preferably formed as a cam having faces 31 against whichthe piston rods from the cylinders act to rotate the wheel or frame bywhich the cylinders are carried and this connection may comprise rollers32 carried by a plate 33 upon'the rod 29 and adapted to traverse theinner and outer faces of the flange 34 carried by the periphery of thepart 30 as shown in Figs. 6 and-6 .-\Supported'from the part 30 are cams35 and 36-for controlling the exhaust and inlet to the cylinders,respectively.

For that purpose, a bracket 37 extends laterally from the part 30 asshown in Fig. 2 and the cam 35 is provided with operating faces 38 whichcontact with valve rods 39 connected with a lever 40 at the outer endsof the cylinders. The lever 40 is provided with a valve stem 41extending to an exhaust valve 42 and these parts are-held under tensionby means of a spring 43 disposed between the cylinder head 22 and thelever 40.

'The inlet cam 36 is provided with operating faces 44 which contact witha valve rod 45 connected to a lever 46 which carries a stem 47 of theinlet valve. This valve is held under tension by a spring as describedin connection with the exhaust valve. Each of these valve rods isoperated by a contact lever 64 carried by an extension 65 from thecylinder and contacting with the operating cam and with the valve rods,as shown in Fig. 1. The cylinder 17 is also provided with a suitablespark or firing device 48 which may be connected by a line 49 in circuitwith a contact finger 50 adapted to engage a contact 51 earned by a ring52 supported from the bracket 37 and in relatively fixed position to therotating cylinders. The contacts 51 are charged by an electricconnection 53 from any suitable source of power. As shown in Fig. 1, thering 52 is adjustable to vary the explosion period of the cylinder andthis may be accomplished by means of the slot 54 in the ring throughwhich afixed pin 55 extends,while the shift- I ing of the ring iseffected by means of a bell crank lever 56 connected thereto'and adaptedto be retained in adjusted position by means of a latch57 mounted toengage a sector 58.

The fuel feed to the inlet pipes 24 may be arranged in any desiredmanner tocciiperate with the rotating cylinders, for instance by meansof an annular chamber 59 mounted upon the wheel 15 to rotate therewithand having a sliding contact 60 with a fixed supply ring 61 as shown inFig. 10. The exhaust pipes 25 from the cylinders all communicate with apipe 62 supported from the wheels 16 by means of brackets 63.-

In the operation of the engine, the fuel fed through the inlet pipessupplies the cylinder with an explosive mixture admitted at the inletvalve controlled by the cam shown in Fig. 8. This fuel is compressed bythe inward movement of the piston and exploded'by the action of thecontact ring for that purpose. This drives the piston toward the shaftand through its connection. with the driving cam, produces a rotation ofsaid shaft. At the proper period in this rotation, the exhaust cam shownin Fig. 7, operates the exhaust valve permitting the free return of thepiston to its initial position as shown in Fig. l. This piston is guidedwithin its cylinder by means of the lugs operating in the groovestherein while the roller connection from the piston rod to the drivingcam effects a continuous rotation of the frame carrying the cylinderswith a minimum of frictional resistance with the cam flange. The fuelfeed connection permits a proper supply to the cylinders during theirrotation and prevents the escape of fuel, while the exhaust connectionconducts the escaping products of combustion from the cylinder. It willbe ,seen that the invention presents a simple,

efficient and economically constructed form of rotary gas engine inwhich the number of cylinders used and their relative location may bevaried in accordance with the requirements of the engine.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a rotary engine, thecombination with a rotary supporting member having a lateral flange, ofa grooved cylinder fitting over said flange and secured thereto, pistonsworking in said cylinder, a fixed cam track arranged within the path ofsaid cylinders, a connection from said piston to said cam track, firingdevices upon saidcylinders, a firing ring having contacts to makecircuit with said firing devices, and means for oscillating said ring.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary supporting member,cylinders having an interlocking connection with said member, pistonscarried by said cylinders, a fixed cam track within the path of saidcylinder, connections from said piston to said cam track comprisingplates having anti-friction rollers, firing connections upon saidcylinders, a firing ring having a contact to make circuit with saidfiring'connections, a lever having a sliding connection with said ring,and means for locking said lever in adjusted position.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with a rotary supporting member,cylinders carried by said member, pistons working in said cylinders, afixed cam track within the path of said cylinders, plates carried bysaid pistons, rollers carried by said plates working uponthe oppositesides of said cam track, valves and operating connections therefromcarried at the outer ends of each cylinder, and a fixed valve operatingcam supported to actuate said connections.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' WILLIAM H. McORORY.

Witnesses J DANIEL BROSY, H. C. KLETT.

